Nicolas Slonimsky

Nicolas Slonimsky (April 27, 1894 - December 25, 1995) was a Russian-American composer, conductor, music critic, musician, and author. He immigrated to the United States in 1923. Slonimsky authored Baker's Dictionary of Music & Musicians and was head editor until 1992. He also authored the work The Lexicon of Musical Invective, which lashed out at blunders made in the music industry, and an autobiography, Perfect Pitch. He died at age 101.

Slonimsky was a great champion of contemporary music. He conducted the world premiere of Edgar Varèse's Ionisation for thirteen percussionists in 1933, of Charles Ives' Three Places in New England in 1931, and various other works.